Force feeding my bearded dragon?

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So my bearded dragon has had issues with eating for a good two months now. Right now he doesn't want to eat at all, and I've been force feeding him for the last week or so. I'm just wondering if this is okay?

And also, I've been considering giving him either the rephashy grub pie or the flukers critical care. Which of those would be better?
 

CooperDragon

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I think it depends on the source of the lack of appetite. Has he been losing weight and acting lethargic while not eating? If so, there could be an underlying illness that needs to be addressed. Discomfort from his swollen foot may be causing it or part of a bigger issue. Has that started to show any improvement?

That said, both Critical Care and Grub Pie are pretty well regarded. You could also offer some different veg baby foods. I've had good luck with green beans, squash, and sweet potato in the past. If he isn't losing weight though I wouldn't be too forceful, just offer some drips on his nose and see if he's interested in licking it up.
 

oliver21917

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CooperDragon":3nuf2wlf said:
I think it depends on the source of the lack of appetite. Has he been losing weight and acting lethargic while not eating? If so, there could be an underlying illness that needs to be addressed. Discomfort from his swollen foot may be causing it or part of a bigger issue. Has that started to show any improvement?

That said, both Critical Care and Grub Pie are pretty well regarded. You could also offer some different veg baby foods. I've had good luck with green beans, squash, and sweet potato in the past. If he isn't losing weight though I wouldn't be too forceful, just offer some drips on his nose and see if he's interested in licking it up.

His weight is the same, and his foot is healing just fine.

I'm just curious which is better the critical care or Grub Pie.
 

CooperDragon

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Both are used somewhat frequently by folks on here but if I had to choose I'd go with Repashy because I've had good luck with their supplements for a long time and trust the brand.
 

kingofnobbys

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CooperDragon":g2t7uv7r said:
I think it depends on the source of the lack of appetite. Has he been losing weight and acting lethargic while not eating? If so, there could be an underlying illness that needs to be addressed. Discomfort from his swollen foot may be causing it or part of a bigger issue. Has that started to show any improvement?

That said, both Critical Care
<<< my understanding is this is fortified specially
and Grub Pie are pretty well regarded. You could also offer some different veg baby foods. I've had good luck with green beans, squash, and sweet potato in the past. If he isn't losing weight though I wouldn't be too forceful, just offer some drips on his nose and see if he's interested in licking it up.

Another option is HerpaBoost http://www.vetnpetdirect.com.au/vetafarm_herpaboost or it's equivalent.
 

oliver21917

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Well he seemed to not mind the critical care so much.

However, this week has been pretty stressful. Since Tuesday his beard has stayed black and he’s had diarrhea. Last night I thought I had lost him, because I see him in the corner of his cage with his mouth slightly open and his beard out and still black. He starts puffing his beard and then he throws up, and it was my first time ever experiencing that. I’m sure a lot of you have seen how violet it is when they throw up. He just started shaking, it scared me so bad. And I guess because he isn’t feeling well it took a lot out of him because he wasn’t very coherent (and was having trouble breathing), I thought he was dying. I was saying my goodbyes and everything. But luckily he started to move a little and he would his eyes would open. He also happen to do this right around lights out.

Luckily we had a vet appointment scheduled for today anyway because they wanted to check out his foot. They said it was still a little to swollen. He’s on antibiotics right now (there’s 7 shots and he takes them every 3 days). If that doesn’t work we’ll run blood testing and an x-ray. Also they told me to give him oxbow (both omnivore and carnivore).
 

kingofnobbys

BD.org Sicko
oliver21917":296ewa2f said:
Well he seemed to not mind the critical care so much.

However, this week has been pretty stressful. Since Tuesday his beard has stayed black and he’s had diarrhea. Last night I thought I had lost him, because I see him in the corner of his cage with his mouth slightly open and his beard out and still black. He starts puffing his beard and then he throws up, and it was my first time ever experiencing that. I’m sure a lot of you have seen how violet it is when they throw up. He just started shaking, it scared me so bad. And I guess because he isn’t feeling well it took a lot out of him because he wasn’t very coherent (and was having trouble breathing), I thought he was dying. I was saying my goodbyes and everything. But luckily he started to move a little and he would his eyes would open. He also happen to do this right around lights out.

Luckily we had a vet appointment scheduled for today anyway because they wanted to check out his foot. They said it was still a little to swollen. He’s on antibiotics right now (there’s 7 shots and he takes them every 3 days). If that doesn’t work we’ll run blood testing and an x-ray. Also they told me to give him oxbow (both omnivore and carnivore).

no bloods taken yet .... how the hell can the vet know if he's giving the right meds ?
 

oliver21917

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kingofnobbys":1g4lm93u said:
oliver21917":1g4lm93u said:
Well he seemed to not mind the critical care so much.

However, this week has been pretty stressful. Since Tuesday his beard has stayed black and he’s had diarrhea. Last night I thought I had lost him, because I see him in the corner of his cage with his mouth slightly open and his beard out and still black. He starts puffing his beard and then he throws up, and it was my first time ever experiencing that. I’m sure a lot of you have seen how violet it is when they throw up. He just started shaking, it scared me so bad. And I guess because he isn’t feeling well it took a lot out of him because he wasn’t very coherent (and was having trouble breathing), I thought he was dying. I was saying my goodbyes and everything. But luckily he started to move a little and he would his eyes would open. He also happen to do this right around lights out.

Luckily we had a vet appointment scheduled for today anyway because they wanted to check out his foot. They said it was still a little to swollen. He’s on antibiotics right now (there’s 7 shots and he takes them every 3 days). If that doesn’t work we’ll run blood testing and an x-ray. Also they told me to give him oxbow (both omnivore and carnivore).

no bloods taken yet .... how the hell can the vet know if he's giving the right meds ?

I don’t know :(
 

oliver21917

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Original Poster
Oliver passed sometime this afternoon. :(

I had gone out to get a few things, and I came home and found that his beard was no longer pitch black and that his body was hard and felt a little swollen, and I didn't see any movements that indicated he was breathing. I sat with him for a good 30 minutes or more. Then we put him in a box and buried him.
Even though deep down I know he was dead, I still have this fear that I could have buried him alive.
This has broken my heart though.
 
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